To Make a Right
by Once Upon a Whim
Summary: A different ending for 622. The same question in 701. What would have happened when Luke wanted to elope to Maryland if Lorelai hadn't gone to Christopher?
1. Prologue I

_I don't believe I've seen this particular 'What if?' anywhere yet, so I thought I'd give it a go. The style is a little unorthodox, but bear with me :) _

Thanks to **llano** for looking it over.

**_I-84 East — somewhere between Stars Hollow and Hartford, Connecticut_**

Middletown. Worcester. Springfield. Boston. Meriden. Enfield. Hartford. New Haven.

Blinking back tears, Lorelai could barely read the signs as she sped along I-84. They were literally and figuratively a blur — all that her mind could focus on was Luke saying no. _No_. No, he wouldn't elope _now_. No, he wouldn't _marry_ her. No, he couldn't do _anything_ without dealing with April first. _No_, he didn't want her anymore…. _Never_.

She coughed, choking on another sob as it escaped her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she scanned those blurry signs to figure out exactly where she was. Mile after mile of highway, left. Hartford exits, next 4 rights.

The breathing offered a moment of clarity, and Lorelai knew she'd be absolutely insane to keep driving in her current state. But Rory was with Logan. Sookie had Jackson and the kids….

But she couldn't deal with tonight on her own, that much she knew. She needed _someone_….

Chris? No, Lorelai chastised herself immediately. Chris was all the way in Boston, and even if he _wasn't_ a bad idea, he was way too far to even consider. He had his own problems to deal with if Emily was going to be setting him up with shrinks.

God damn that shrink. Damn her to hell, Lorelai glowered through her tears. Stupid shrink sitting in her stupid car in the stupid driveway. In any other circumstances, Lorelai would have suffered through the dinner, made her way home and curled up in front of the TV with Luke.

Okay, well, sure, maybe recent circumstances would have dictated an end to the evening that was more along the lines of Lorelai in front of the TV alone, save for the company of Ben and Jerry. But at least she'd still have been able to allow herself the delusion that she was still in a relationship that was fixable. One that still had a chance.

That certainly was no longer the case. She'd made sure of that, Lorelai lamented with a strangled laugh.

Recalling her own completely unhinged demands at the diner, Lorelai berated herself inwardly for even thinking something like that would ever work with Luke. What the hell had she been thinking? _Had_ she even been thinking at all?

_No_, a voice nagged at her, no, of course not. You let yourself be brainwashed by the fucking psycholo-chiatrist-whatever in the fucking driveway of your parents house.

If only she hadn't said so much in the car. If only she hadn't gotten in the car. If only the fucking shrink hadn't been there in the first place. If only her goddamned mother hadn't invited the stupid woman in the first place. Why the hell did Christopher need to get set up by Emily in the first place? Did she honestly think Chris would date a therapist? Why the fuck couldn't Emily just keep her nose out of other people's business?

Stupid Emily inviting the stupid shrink.

An exit sign for one of the back roads to New Haven flashed by. Maybe she could… No. Rory didn't need this. Not tonight.

More exit signs flew by, and still Lorelai kept in the left lane, numbly following signs directing her to Providence, Springfield, Boston. Boston. She could go see Chris… Again, no. If last year was any indication, adding him to her problems with Luke would just be a recipe for a mess worse than the Titanic sinking.

Not that things weren't utterly hopeless already anyway, Lorelai sniffled, ignoring the tears streaming down her cheeks. God, why — _why?_ — did the shrink have to be there tonight of all nights?

Because Emily just can't fucking mind her own business. _Ever_, Lorelai heard, the nagging voice making a repeat appearance. Fucking Emily and the fucking shrink and fucking Luke, Lorelai fumed silently. If her mother and the stupid dinner with the stupid shrink had never happened, she never would have gone running to Luke. He never would have been able to say no because she wouldn't have asked. She'd still be with Luke.

"Dammit!" she cursed aloud, surprising herself with the venom in her voice.

Swallowing hard, Lorelai hastily swiped at her teary eyes. Making a snap decision, she jerked the wheel, making a quick right, with just barely enough time to merge onto the familiar exit ramp.

Just a few moments later, she cleared her throat and banged loudly on the heavy, wooden veneer.

Before Emily had even gotten the door halfway open, Lorelai was launching herself into the vestibule, demanding harshly, "Why the hell did you find it necessary to have a shrink at dinner tonight?"

Emily managed a spluttered "Lorelai, I hardly think-" of confusion before Lorelai cut her off.

"No, seriously," Lorelai cried, "A shrink? Does that really seem like Christopher's thing?"

"You're hysterical," Emily stated, studying her daughter. "You're hysterical. What on earth-"

"Chris is never gonna date a shrink!" Lorelai shrieked.

With pursed lips, Emily folded her arms in front of her chest, declaring in detached tones, "I hardly think who Christopher dates is your concern."

Lorelai threw her arms in the air in disbelief. "Oh, but it _is_ yours?"

Emily began a defense of "I was simply-" but was again cut off by Lorelai's increasingly deranged-sounding tirade.

"Can't you ever just mind your own business?" Lorelai wailed, "Can't you ever just fucking min-"

"Lorelai!" Emily gasped, obviously shocked by the profanity.

"No!" Lorelai countered angrily. "You screw things up! You can't just leave things alone! You weasel your way in where you don't belong and you mess things up! Everything just…." As she made her way through the disparaging rant, Lorelai felt the energy draining from her. And she started to hear her own words, realizing how utterly ridiculous it was that there she stood, her relationship with Luke shattered and stomped on, and she was berating her mother for trying to set up Christopher. It had nothing to do with anything…. The futility of yelling at her mother just magnified everything that had gone wrong that night — the fact that everything turned out completely wrong. Choking on her words, she clutched her stomach with one hand, the other flying up to cover her face as one truth slipped quietly from her mouth, "Everything just turned into a big mess…."

Emily's face paled, immediately transformed by an expression of concern. "Lorelai?" she asked hesitantly, placing a hand gently on Lorelai's shoulder.

It was the last straw. Lorelai had tried to hold it together, but….

It wasn't Emily's fault. It wasn't the shrink's fault, it wasn't anyone's fault but her own. She'd fucked up, she'd lost Luke. So it was his fault too. But he wasn't there, and he wasn't ever going to be there again.

The re-realization that it was over hit Lorelai once more, and big, gulping sobs overtook her body.

Another moment or two after that, Lorelai found herself the last place she expected to be that night, the last place she'd expected to be just a few nights ago. But for all the times in her childhood that events had not played out in that manner, for the second time in less than a week, Lorelai found herself weeping in the comforting embrace of her mother.

**To be continued...**


	2. Prologue II

**_Gilmore Driveway — down the road from the rooster, Stars Hollow, Connecticut_**

"Let's get married. Right now. Let's go."

She'd tried to shut him up, tried to make him stop. Tried to make the pain of every single word he spoke go away. Just make him stop and make everything else disappear. But Lorelai couldn't help it. The shattered little pieces of her broken heart had shown the faintest signs of life when her ears first caught his suggestion of a honeymoon.

_Let's get married. _

Where had that been thirty-six hours ago? Where, Luke, dammit, _where?_, her mind screamed at him.

She wanted to say no. She wanted to hurt him just as badly as he'd hurt her two nights before.

But she couldn't. As much as Lorelai wanted to hate Luke for everything he'd done to her since finding out about April, she still loved him. She couldn't help it. When the love of your life is standing there in front of you, begging you to run away with him and get married, no matter how twisted and mangled your relationship is, you don't say no.

Not exactly, anyway.

Lorelai studied him for a moment more, gnawing on her lip and fighting the tears that threatened. "Wait," she eventually whispered in a gravelly voice.

Luke began a confused protest of "Wha-?" before she cut him off with a sniffle as she turned away from him, "Don't leave." And she darted inside the house.

Not ten minutes later, before she could talk herself out of it or begin rationalizing too much, Lorelai appeared once more on the porch. She could feel Luke's questioning gaze on her, and she shifted stiffly, hoisting her bags higher on her shoulder just to give herself something to do.

After a horribly long awkward silence, Lorelai forced a quiet, "Um…." Her own gaze darting cagily from Luke to the truck, she offered stiltedly, "Uh, I got Babbette on her cell. She's gonna bring Paul Anka to her place when she gets home."

A blind man could have seen the hopeful expression that flashed across Luke's face at the implication that Lorelai was accepting his proposal. She practically flinched when he rushed towards her for an embrace, practically as giddy as she'd ever seen him; he wasn't going to like what was coming next.

Bracing herself on one of his upper arms lest he envelope her in his embrace and she lose her will, Lorelai stepped back from Luke. "Luke," she started quietly, "don't."

His own hands falling limply to his sides, Luke gestured in mild disbelief at Lorelai's bag. "What do you…?" He stammered, "I don't underst-"

With an air of confidence that she wasn't necessarily feeling, she marched right past him towards the truck. "We're not eloping, Luke," she stated stoically as she yanked open the passenger-side door and tossed her two small bags inside.

And before she knew what was happening, Luke was behind her, spinning her less-than-gently to face him. "What are you talking about? Maryland, right? We'll find a boat captain. We can do this." His words that began so harshly, had faded into a meek plea, and Lorelai was on the verge of losing it again.

Not bothering to wipe her eyes this time, she somehow mustered up as much strength as she possibly could and willed her heart not to break all over again as she met Luke's questioning stare. "We're not ready to get married right now, Luke. You _have_ to know that."

"But-" Luke's weak protest was cut off.

"We'll go somewhere," Lorelai allowed, trying to convince herself as much as Luke, "but we need to deal with… stuff. Before we get anywhere near getting married. Maybe… maybe the going somewhere will help."

Luke's face fell, but before he could formulate any sort of response, Lorelai closed her eyes and forced out her final blow. Reaching out a clenched fist, she slowly opened her eyes, unfurling her fingers simultaneously. "We'll go somewhere," she repeated, her voice catching on her words, "but right now, I need you to take this."

In the palm of her hand, glinting in the early morning sunlight, was the engagement ring that she'd slipped from her finger as she'd sobbed herself to sleep in her childhood room two nights ago. If it pained her half as much to give him the ring as it did for him to see it there, being unceremoniously returned to him, she'd hate to see her own face. Because she couldn't have imagined Luke ever looking more crushed than he did at that moment.

But he did take the ring, reluctantly. Half expecting him to toss it in the woods, or throw it on the ground and stomp on it, Lorelai turned away as soon as she felt the slick metal lifted from her hand. She couldn't bear to see him do something like that to the ring, never mind that he'd already essentially done just that to their relationship. Without another word, Lorelai climbed into the truck, closing the door behind her.

It was a while before she even heard Luke move, but eventually, he was seated in the truck beside her.

They drove off in silence.

**To be continued...**


	3. I84 West — near Stamford, Connecticut

_Thanks to all who reviewed :) And here's where the unorthodox style bit comes in... Go with it people, go with it..._

**_I-84 West — near Stamford, Connecticut_**

"That way."

"New York City?"

"Just go."


	4. I87 North — outside Poughkeepsie, NY

**_I-87 North — outside Poughkeepsie, New York_**

"What are we doing?"

"Driving. Well, you are. I'm sitting."

"Why? Lorelai, what the hell are we doing here if we're not gonna get married?"

"Since when are you so anxious to tie the knot?"

"Since when are you _not_? Were you not the one wanting to leave right away, two nights ago?"

"Oh, you can change your mind, but I can't? Two nights ago, you practically had a heart attack at the idea of eloping. I would have had an easier time if you had! I could have dragged your dead body to the altar, but the alive you was sure as hell not going anywhere near anything that looked even remotely like commitment."

"I'm here now, I was ready this morning!"

"What, so the fairy godmother of weddings waved her magic wand and crashed a car into the diner and poof, everything's fine and dandy?"

"I didn't say that it was."

"And you don't think things should be at least fine before two people get married?"

"Forget it."

"Fine."


	5. I87 North — South of New Baltimore, NY

**_I-87 North — just South of New Baltimore service area, New York_**

"Can we sto-"

"There's coffee in the Thermos."

"Oh. Thanks."

"Whatever."

"How _is_ the diner?"

"There's a huge hole in it."

"Hmm, been there. At least it wasn't TJ with a sledgehammer this time."

"No, it was Kirk with a car."

"Is that better or worse, you think?"

"Is either good?"

"Our- _my_ room looked nice after it got fixed."

"Yeah, it did."


	6. I87 North — Latham, New York

**_I-87 North — Latham, New York_**

"How's April doing?"

"Lorelai…"

"So I'm still not allowed to know anything about your kid?"

"I didn't-"

"Never mind."


	7. I87 North — Glens Falls, New York

**_-87 North — Glens Falls, New York_**

"I played racquetball."

"You _what_?"

"Played racquetball."

"With _who_?"

"Rory."

"Right."

"We did!"

"Why the hell were you two playing racquetball?"

"We didn't feel like talking, and racquetball requires no talking."

"Since when do you two not talk?"

"Since Logan left for London and my fiancé said he didn't want to marry me."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"… Who won?"

"The ball."

"What?"

"I gave myself a black eye, so we quit."

"You what?"

"Look, black eye. Kind of."

"Oh yeah…"

"Careful…"

"Sorry."


	8. I87 North — outside Paradox, New York

**_I-87 North — outside Paradox, New York_**

"I... was I, was it, was it really that horrible?"

"Luke..."

"I know I was a dick, I know. I told you that. I got lost in my own head, and... But God... Jesus, Lorelai, it was getting better? Wasn't it? April's party? With you and her and me and everything? I just... Fuck. And then nothing from you. I don't fucking get it, Lorelai. Dammit."

"... It was. The party. Great. I know it was only because you were desperate but for those few hours, you let me in. And April is so adorable. I thought this is it, you know, I'm in. And things were good, and we could get back to how things were supposed to be. Yeah, for those few hours, that night, the next morning, we were there."

"So what the hell changed? You disappeared without a goddamned word. Nothing!"

"I don't… Anna was upset. _You_ were upset that _she_ was upset. And I... I sat there for _months_ while you... and nothing. _Nothing_! But the first complaint from her and you're crushed, having a panic attack over how you can fix things with Anna. How am I supposed to take that?"

"She _said_ something. God, Lorelai, anything else and you never fucking shut your mouth. _Say_ something."

"I shouldn't have to."

"I'm not a mind reader."

"Once upon a time you were. You knew me. … I get that you don't want to tick Anna off. She can cut you off from April, you don't want that. I get it. Believe me, I _get_ the wanting to put your kid first. And ten years ago when it was just me and Rory, anyone would have gotten the same from me. Rory comes first no matter what. I get it. But you and me, once we... I'd have rather killed myself than have to ever choose between you and her. Before April, I thought... well, call me selfish, but I thought I was number one for you. After... I'd be thrilled to share that spot with your daughter. She's your _daughter_. Or be second even. But I wasn't even a close second. Half the time I didn't even know if I was on the list. I di-"

"You were."

"Lu-"

"Always."

"I…"

"Jesus Lorelai, dammit, you were _always_ first. Always."

"…It didn't feel that way."

"Fuck, I know... Fuck."


	9. St Bernard de Lacolle border crossing

**_St. Bernard de Lacolle border crossing Customs line — Quebec/New York border_**

"Do you have any idea how much it hurts to know that at any other point in our lives, you wouldn't have kept me from April?"

"You don't know tha-"

"Before we were together? 'Hi, I'm Lorelai. Luke, can I have coffee?' 'April, meet Lorelai, the insane caffeine addict who comes here at least once a day.' 'Hi April, nice to meet you.' 'Hi Lorelai, want to help me fill these salt shakers?'"

"Lorel-"

"Everyone else, Luke. _Everyone_. Lane and the board games, the mailman, Patty at the diner… Even Rory met her in Philadelphia."

"I'm sorry, it just happ-"

"Happened, I know. And if we were already married? Already there, legally bound and living together full-time and maybe having, or at least thinking about, our own kids? You couldn't have hid her that long, even if you tried. Would you have tried? Keep her from a stepmother and potential half-siblings? And a step-sibling? If she showed up two years from now and we had already been married, would you have hid it again?"

"Of course not. I-"

"Then why now? Why? What the _fuck_ is so special about being engaged? Ooo, scary, _engaged_."

"Look, I don't know. I just don't- We're moving. Can you be civil for the customs people?"

"Fine."

"I need your passport."

"Fine."


	10. 401 West — Cornwall, Ontario

**_401 West — Cornwall, Ontario_**

"These aren't Munchkins."

"That's because this isn't Dunkin' Donuts."

"They're imposters."

"They're Timbits."

"Imposters."

"They're still a box full of heart attack waiting to happen."

"It's not the same."

"But you'll eat them anyway."

"Of course."

"And they'll taste the same."

"Fuh uhp."

"Swallow."

"Shut up."


	11. I81 South — Thousand Islands, New York

**_I-81 South — Thousand Islands, New York_**

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. God, I'm sorry! We've been over this. I didn't know what to do. What are you supposed to do when you find out you have a kid?"

"Tell any and all future parents or step-parents. Luke, she was gonna be my step-daughter! If you're gonna tell anyone, it should have been me!"

"I'm sorry! What else can I say? How do you know you wouldn't do the same thing?"

"A — I think I'd know about any kids I popped out. And B — I know I wouldn't do the same thing because I _didn't_ do the same thing. I told Chris when I was pregnant. Right away."

"You said you didn't know about her until you were 3 months in. You didn't have to tell him — he would have been able to figure it out on his own soon anyway."

"Well, he's not that bright sometimes, maybe he wouldn't have."

"Right."

"I sure as hell would have told him before he walked in and found Rory filling salt shakers."

"Nice."

"Come on! We were engaged! Why wouldn't you tell me things?"

"Oh, and you've told me absolutely everything that's happened to you?"

"Well, no! Not _everything_. I never told you that you left a shirt at my house six years ago, before we were anything, when you fixed the washing machine and that I wore it to bed all the time because it smelled like you. I never told you that once, when Rory was little and we shared a bed in the shed at the Inn that I had a nightmare and actually wet the bed and had to blame it on my five-year-old daughter! I never told you that yes, sometimes I actually like to eat vegetables on my own. I never _told_ you because it's more fun to hear you yell at me about them. I never _told_ you that you were the only guy I ever slept with in my house. I didn't tell you everything, but the big stuff? Yeah, I tol…"

"What?"

"…"

"What?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… I'm such a fucking hypocrite."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm a hypocrite. And a liar, too, apparently."

"How?"

"I thought I was pregnant. Last year. Here I am ready to kill you for the April thing, and I did the same thing."

"You… _What_?"

"I thought I was pregnant. When Sookie had Martha. And I panicked. I full-on freaked out. We weren't engaged, we hadn't talked about kids, we were just getting back to normal after...

"… How? When?"

"The New York thing. Lots of alcohol plus no food plus you dressed all hot equals no roadblocks. No roadblocks lots of times."

"Roadblocks?"

"Think about it. You really think you cared about condoms that night?"

"No… I can't beli-"

"Believe it. But I wasn't. Obviously. And I was so freaking relieved you have no idea."

"And you're telling me this now, why? Get something off your chest when you know I'm in no position to ream you out over keeping secrets?"

"No."

"Then what the hell?"

"Because after all this you have no idea how much I now wish I had been. Pregnant. Then. _No_ idea."

"… I don't know if-"

"I know it's stupid, I know. A baby doesn't fix things. But you can't seriously sit there and tell me that things wouldn't have gone differently if there was a 3-month old kid here right now screaming its lungs out."

"Well…"

"Or if you already had a kid coming when April showed up… Forget it, doesn't matter now."


	12. Route 3 South — Mexico, New York

**_Route 3 South — Mexico, New York_**

"Dude, these people have no imagination."

"Five seconds ago you liked the name. That's why we're in the middle of nowhere and the main highway is way back there."

"I didn't say I liked it. I just wanted to say we went to Mexico."

"Of course."

"And, crazy! New Haven is that way. I have to call Rory from New Haven! Who knew New Haven was in New York too??

"Geographers? Residents of the town? AAA?"

"You're no fun."


	13. I90 West — near Magee, New York

**_I-90 West — near Magee, New York_**

"You had nine months to get ready for Rory. Or six, whatever, after you knew about her. I didn't even have six _days_ from her showing up at the diner to me finding out for sure."

"I know, I know. I could maybe even understand those first two months. But after? You kept me away from her deliberately. _Why_, Luke?"

"Rory was the closest thing I'd ever had to a kid. Your kid. I didn't even know I actually even _wanted_ my own kids until we were together. And when you said kids would be good… The only kids I ever thought I'd have would be with you. I thought we'd have our own little kid pulling my hair. Not my twelve-year old daughter yanking one out for a freakin' DNA test — a freakin' DNA test that she did _herself_."

"But-"

"I had to get the Dad thing right first. I couldn't let you see me screw things up with her. I couldn't give you a reason to change your mi-"

"I would never have changed my mind. I didn't change my mind."

"… I thought…"

"Luke. I didn't see much. You didn't let me. But I saw you trying so hard to be a great father to that kid. How could I not want to start over with you and give you a kid to be a dad to from day one?"

"…Dammit… Why didn't you ever say anything? You've always called me on my shit, why let this — _this_ — go?"

"Honestly? Because I just didn't get it. I absolutely, positively could not understand you not wanting me around April. Forget about the wedding and stuff, did you not even want me around at all? I tried so hard to get Chris involved when Rory was little, and you know how well that went. You pushing me away was just so _backwards_ for me."

"But, still, you could have…"

"Hi, do you remember the last time I gave a little too much input to someone that important in my life? I pushed too hard with Rory, and what happened? She had a meltdown and didn't talk to me for months. I couldn't risk losing you too. So I kept my mouth shut and waited. And waited and waited and waited for you to let me in. Lost you anyway. Isn't it ironic? Don'tcha think? It's like rain, on your wedding day… Oh wait, right, we didn't have one."

"Lorelai…"

"Sorry. Never mind."


	14. Rainbow Bridge — Niagara Falls, NY & Ont

To everyone who is reviewing - you guys are the best :) I can't believe how many people are actually taking to this style of story. Thanks for all your kind words.

**_Rainbow Bridge — Niagara Falls, New York/Ontario_**

"Where'd we park?"

"That way, why?"

"Just want to make sure we end up in the same country as the truck when we go to leave."

"Ah, of course."

"It's pretty."

"Yeah… You know, I've been thinking."

"Just this once?"

"I'm serious."

"Sorry."

"You keep slamming me for not telling you about April. Which was absolutely the wrong thing to do. I know that, you know that, and I can't tell you enough how sorry I am to have left you out. But you can't keep making me out to be the only bad guy here."

"_What_?"

"I didn't tell you about April. Fine. And I screwed up more when I kept her away from you."

"Yeah, ya di-"

"But you did too."

"Lu-"

"You sat there for months in pain because of me. And that kills me. But that's not you. You can't just sit there with your mouth shut and not tell me what you're feeling. After Jess and the car accident with Rory, you and that Garfield paper would not shut up with the apologies. And even though we weren't talking, you still came crying to me when that jackass broke your heart again. You needed money, you came to me. I was a dick about the Nicole thing and the moving in thing, you called me on it. Even when _I'm_ the jackass hurting you, you've gotta call me on it. If this is ever going to work, you've gotta call me on my shit. It's not you to just sit there, Lorelai. I need you to tell me when I'm being an ass, I need you to tell me when I'm doing something wrong with April."

"What the hell do you call me in Martha's Vineyard? 'It doesn't feel like we're ever gonna get married.' 'No, no, I love you _and_ the lobster.' Fuck you, Luke. Don't blame me for this."

"And that was it! How the hell was I supposed to know that what we said there wasn't enough? It killed me that you ever thought that in the first place, but I thought we were good then. You said you were fine! If you were still doubting things, you've gotta fucking say something! No matter how much you want this to all have been me, it wasn't. There were two people here, and at least I was trying to figure things out with April. You just sat there, doing nothing, and watched it fall apart, watched me fuck things up, and you never said a fucking word."

"…I'm going back to the car now."

"That's Canada. The truck's over there."

"Super."


	15. QEW West — east of Hamilton, Ontario

**_QEW West — east of Hamilton, Ontario_**

"Why are we back in Canada again?"

"Because that's what's on the other side of Niagara Falls? Believe me, I'd rather have something else on the other side of Niagara Falls too, like maybe some fancy Caribbean island. Or Italy. Or, ooh! Oz. Now that would be cool. We could go see the Wizard. Over the Rainbow _Bridge_. Get it?"

"So you don't care if we're here or if we turn around to New York?"

"Not really, why?"

"This exchange rate is fucking brutal."

"You're not supposed to care about exchange rates on road trips, Mr. Burst-my-bubble-why-don't-ya."

"You just said y-"

"I'm kidding, Luke. I know you just want to be all patriotic. We can go back to the good old U.S. of A. if you want."

"Thank you."

"The money here is crazy anyway. The colors freak me out."


	16. I190 East — Buffalo, New York

**_I-190 East — Buffalo, New York_**

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Remember when I helped you pick out paint colors for the diner?"

"Yeah."

"We were so close."

"…I know."

"Why didn't you…?"

"Thought it was just the beer. Didn't think you wanted it."

"…I wanted it."

"Oh, well, good to know now. Little late for that."

"Well, you have a hole in the diner, right? You'll have to paint after it's fixed, yeah? I could help pick colors."

"Because…?"

"Because I want it again. I still want it. I miss you, Luke. I miss _us_."

"I'm right here. I've always been right here."

"But you weren't. You weren't. You said it yourself, you were in your head, you were with April, and you were anywhere but with me."

"I fucked up. I know. And I'm sorry. But I don't know what else I can do to make you believe that it's not going to be like that anymore."

"…Me either."


	17. I79 South — south of Erie, Pennsylvania

**_I-79 South — south of Erie, Pennsylvania_**

"Liz is pregnant."

"You're kidding!"

"Not in the slightest."

"Still with TJ, right?"

"Yup."

"Oh my God, I can't wait to see how that kid turns out. Poor thing."

"You're tellin' me."

"Do they know if it's a girl or a boy?"

"No, but it sure as hell better be a girl, because Liz already said they'd name a boy after me."

"That's sweet."

"I don't do sweet."

"Yes you do. Sometimes."

"Yeah…"


	18. I80 West — near Austintown, Ohio

**_I-80 West — near Austintown, Ohio_**

"My parents bought us a house."

"They what?"

"Bought us a house. Supposed to be a wedding present since we wouldn't let them pay for the actual wedding."

"But your place… The re-model…"

"I know. And they knew. Which is why I never in a million years would have thought they were looking for a house for us in Stars Hollow when I found them using Kirk as a realtor."

"Kirk's a realtor?"

"Yeah. Or, no? I don't know… Maybe he just borrowed the jacket?"

"What?"

"I don't know. But man, you should have seen me when I thought they were trying to move to Stars Hollow. Can you say premature death?"

"Whose?"

"Mine. Or sure, my parents, I guess, if it would have stopped them from moving there."

"But it was for us?"

"Yeah. Who knew phase two of being Gilmored was actually acceptance with a side of house?"

"Why did they think we needed…"

"For kids."

"Oh."

"It had lots of rooms, enough for Rory and April and whoever else, and a pond and stables and-"

"Sounds nice."

"It was…"


	19. I75 South — north of Findlay, Ohio

**_I-75 South — north of Findlay, Ohio_**

"She's 5'4'."

"What?"

"And her birthday is- Well, you know her birthday. She wants to be a biomedical engineer, she's got a crush on apple-brown-betty Freddy, she has a lucky sweater for math competitions-"

"Luke, wha-"

"April. You wanna know her. You'll get to know her, but this is the best I can do in the middle-of-nowhere Ohio. Her best friend is Marcia, her best swimming stroke is butterfly, her favorite color is-"

"Purple. I know."

"… Good. Uh, she's not ambidextrous, but she's trying to train herself to write with her left hand too. She never knew where her curly hair came from, but I think it's from my mom. She only ever broke one bone, and that's why she came up with her ridiculous bike helmet — she doesn't want to break any more. Jess is her only cousin. She lost her first tooth when she was si- Wait. Here, take my wallet, there's pictures. That's, uh, this year's school picture. That's her half-birthday when she was six months old. That's… Well, that's her with Anna. Yeah, Anna. Uh, see, I think she looks more like her, but they say they can see me in there somewhere. Uh, that's her first day of kindergarten. That's her and Marcia on some school trip a few years ago. That's her-"

"-with _us_."

"Yeah. Someone took it at the party."

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Keep it."

"Bu-"

"Keep it."

"Thanks…"


	20. Route 30 East — south of Crestline, Ohio

**_Route 30 East — south of Crestline, Ohio_**

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, coffee stain isn't going to kill the truck."

"No… I'm _sorry_. For being an idiot. And not ever telling you how upset I was. I think Helen Keller probably communicated better than I did. God, I should have just-"

"Hey, hey, it's ok-"

"No, it's not. It's _not_. I _hated_ you for keeping things — _April_ — from me, and I just sat there and let everything go wrong. It was killing me and I sat there and let it happen. That's not _me_. When did I let that become me?"

"Well… You said the Rory thing… You didn't want it to happen again — not that it would have. I wouldn't-"

"But it did! Look at us! Everything got fucked up anyway. I should have just-"

"Hey! Stop it. Just stop. Yes, I messed up. Yes, _you_ messed up. But everything is not fucked up. _We_ are not fucked up."

"Luke-"

"No. I'm not letting you just label this — our entire _relationship_ — fucked up so you can just give up. I'm not giving up here, on us. Why the hell have we been sitting here talking through four different states — New York twice — and two provinces, if you think we're _that_ fucked up?"

"I don't-"

"We are fixing this. I don't care if it takes us driving to California and back, or Alaska, or if we put the truck on a boat to China. If this car dies, I'll buy a new one and we'll keep going."

"…"

"I said it before, and I'll say it again, in case you're still not believing me. I love you. I love you, and I am going to marry you, and we are going to have lobster at our wedding. Okay?"

"…Okay."


	21. Route 39 South — gas station, Lucas, OH

**_Route 39 South — gas station in Lucas, Ohio_**

"Okay, we've been in this town like five minutes. All I wanted was coffee from a town with your name, and those stupid church bells have gone off like twenty times already. Didn't happen to bring your tool kit did you? We were pretty good at breaking the Stars Hollow ones…"

"Not with me, sorry."

"Damn."

"I don't think people who don't know us would be as accepting of our breaking the bells as Reverend Skinner was anyway"

"True… Hey."

"What?"

"Remember that night? When you were asking me why I didn't want you to move?"

"I do. And _you_ never answered."

"Well, we were interrupted."

"So?"

"So what?"

"So why didn't you want me to move?"

"…Because I hated Nicole, and I was jealous, and I wanted you to stay in Stars Hollow with me, and I was really jealous, and I was actually madly in love with you, and oh, did I say I think I was a teensy bit jealous?"

"Huh. You were going to say all that, were ya?"

"I guess we'll never know."


	22. I70 East — Eastern OH and Western PA

**_I-70 East — Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania_**

"Remember…"

"Remember when…"

"…abandoned me for two months of gigantic turkey legs and pewter…"

"…told me about your pregnant dream…"

"…bought my basket…"

"…pretended we were together and you dressed in saran wrap or something…"

"…you showed me the horoscope at Sniffy's…"

"…started smacking me with the spatula…"

"…gave you a nice little hand-job right there in the limo…"

"…made me your 'special friend' for the chicken guy…"

"…with you at Liz's wedding…"

"…think I must have seen you at Harvey's Beach…"

"…made Paul Anka scrambled eggs to make both of us feel better…"

"…walked into the diner half naked to get coffee…"

"…brought you champagne after Jackson beat Taylor…"

"…almost got to kiss again except for those stupid apples…"

"…sausages out of you after Rory's party…"

"…when you asked me to marry you in the diner…"

"I love you."

"I love you too."


	23. Econo Lodge, Breezewood, Pennsylvania

**_Lincoln Highway — Econo Lodge, Breezewood, Pennsylvania_**

"God, Luke, I've — oh, don't stop."

"Not planning on it."

"I missed this. I missed you… Mmm…"

"Lorelai…"

"Harder…"

"Mmm…"

"Right there, Oh God… Luke…"

"God, Lorelai…"

"Mmm… "

"…"

"I love you so much."

"Back at'cha."

"Mmm… Haven't done that in a while."

"So let's make up for lost time."

"I'm all for that."

"Not just this. Everything. We can make up for lost time. With April, with us, everything. I swear to you, we can work."

"…I know."


	24. I81 North, west of Harrisburg, PA

**_I-81 North, west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania_**

"Pennsylvania."

"Pennsylvania."

"New York."

"Pennsylvania."

"Pennsylvania."

"Pennsylvania."

"They should rename Pennsylvania to Transylvania. Same idea, just sounds cooler."

"Tell that to William Penn."

"Who? Ooh, a New Jersey."

"The guy the state was named for…"

"Oh. Well, maybe he was a transvestite. Then it still works. Did they have transvestites back whenever William Penn was from?"

"I really have no idea."

"Pennsylvania."

"So you're sticking with the original name?"

"Obviously I can't change the license plates right now, Luke. So it has to be boring old Pennsyl — Look! A Canadian one!"

"We just saw thousands of those. And all you did was complain about people in Quebec having the nerve to put French on them when you don't speak French."

"I just don't think they're being very accommodating. Besides we're not there anymore. Now Canadian plates are special."

"Right."

"Pennsylvania."


	25. I83 South, just south of Shrewsbury, PA

**_I-83 South, just south of Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania_**

"See?"

"I did."

"And?"

"And it said last exit in Pennsylvania."

"And?"

"And it said Baltimore is the next right."

"In?"

"Maryland…"

"So?"

"Luke, if you're getting at what I think you are, it's the answer that's supposed to be one word, not the question."

"Marry me?"

"That's not much better than one word…"

"So?"

"Yes."

"So predictable…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now quick — go right."


	26. Chesapeake Wood Duck Inn, Maryland

**_Chesapeake Wood Duck Inn — Tilghman Island, Maryland_**

"I do."

"I do."

**The End**

Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story. I went out on a limb when I tried just dialogue - the intent being to stop myself from relying on all my wordy descriptions to get my point across, and thereby hopefully strengthening my dialogue skills. I appreciate all of you for sticking with me on this as I tried it out.

Also, apologies if I got any roads/towns wrong. I've been most of the places I used, but not all, so if I screwed up something about your hometown, apologies on behalf of myself, Mapquest, and Google ;)


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